A Noncanonical Auxin-Sensing Mechanism Uncovered by Screening the Auxin Response Factor 3 Interacting Proteins in Tomato.

ABSTRACT: Within the canonical auxin signaling pathway, Auxin Response Factors (ARFs) are transcriptionally repressed by AUX/IAA proteins under low auxin conditions, and this repression is alleviated as auxin concentrations increase. By contrast, ARF3 functions as a central regulator of gynoecium morphogenesis in Arabidopsis via a non-canonical auxin-sensing mechanism that relies on dose-dependent modulation of its protein-protein interaction network. To investigate whether an analogous regulatory mechanism operates in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), we identified the tomato ARF3 homolog (SlARF3) and utilized it as bait in a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screen. This screening approach yielded 137 positive clones, corresponding to 118 putative interacting proteins. Notably, all of these interactions

SUBMITTER: Wang L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12897879 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature